Second: the particular harmonies these guys perfected, used to signify a certain strain of "the sixties" for me--the strain I was repulsed by. It's a complicated issue, but I guess their songs seemed to epitomize to me the most banal aspects of the counterculture, the least meaningfully self-reflective, etc. And I guess I always took the music--distinctive as it may be--as a kind of correlative to that. But I'm starting to think again. I doubt I could ever come around to *loving* them but I willing to give it a try.
So either recommend me some good CSN(Y) songs or sound forth with your eminent disapproval. Etc.
― amateur!st (amateurist), Monday, 24 May 2004 04:19 (nineteen years ago) link
Only CSNY song I like is "Pre-Road Downs" from that first album, with just the three of them. Otherwise, I can't stand 'em. Smug, and those harmonies bore into my brain like a dentist's drill.
― eddie hurt (ddduncan), Monday, 24 May 2004 04:29 (nineteen years ago) link
― hstencil (hstencil), Monday, 24 May 2004 04:30 (nineteen years ago) link
i'm more interested in the fact that CSN(Y) (or whatever) were actually REALLY POPULAR and BIG -- as in springsteen in '85/outkast or britney spears BIG. that's such a radical sea-change in mass public musical taste that deserves some comment, no?
― Eisbär (llamasfur), Monday, 24 May 2004 04:36 (nineteen years ago) link
they seem like songs that want to appear "relevant" without actually saying anything at all (see also "ball of confusion" by the temptations).
― amateur!st (amateurist), Monday, 24 May 2004 04:39 (nineteen years ago) link
― Eisbär (llamasfur), Monday, 24 May 2004 04:43 (nineteen years ago) link
― James Slone (Freon Trotsky), Monday, 24 May 2004 04:44 (nineteen years ago) link
no, that recording is utterly beautiful in every respect.
― amateur!st (amateurist), Monday, 24 May 2004 04:45 (nineteen years ago) link
"teach yer children," OTOH, was just hippy sermonizing.
― Eisbär (llamasfur), Monday, 24 May 2004 04:47 (nineteen years ago) link
― rumple, Monday, 24 May 2004 04:47 (nineteen years ago) link
well, it would be if not for CSN harmonies. i guess we'll just have to agree to disagree here ... :-)
― Eisbär (llamasfur), Monday, 24 May 2004 04:48 (nineteen years ago) link
yeah i know the context, but the song still seems hopelessly equivocal and sometimes incoherent.
― amateur!st (amateurist), Monday, 24 May 2004 04:49 (nineteen years ago) link
― eddie hurt (ddduncan), Monday, 24 May 2004 04:56 (nineteen years ago) link
― jim wentworth (wench), Monday, 24 May 2004 04:58 (nineteen years ago) link
― amateur!st (amateurist), Monday, 24 May 2004 05:00 (nineteen years ago) link
― eddie hurt (ddduncan), Monday, 24 May 2004 05:01 (nineteen years ago) link
― fact checking cuz (fcc), Monday, 24 May 2004 05:10 (nineteen years ago) link
― Atnevon (Atnevon), Monday, 24 May 2004 13:03 (nineteen years ago) link
― gear (gear), Thursday, 6 July 2006 06:43 (seventeen years ago) link
― dr lulu (dr lulu), Thursday, 6 July 2006 07:22 (seventeen years ago) link
the reason i can't remember which one it is is because they look identical.
http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drf300/f330/f33067crhvi.jpg http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drd900/d947/d94749sn54p.jpg
― flëétwøöd måçk (jaxon), Thursday, 6 July 2006 16:29 (seventeen years ago) link
― flëétwøöd måçk (jaxon), Thursday, 6 July 2006 16:31 (seventeen years ago) link
what else would you recommend along these lines that isn't related to csn or y?
― gear (gear), Thursday, 6 July 2006 17:01 (seventeen years ago) link
I found $41 on the ground today, so let's talk about Psychedelic Country!
and all the byrds related projects (even though that is related to c)
― flëétwøöd måçk (jaxon), Thursday, 6 July 2006 18:09 (seventeen years ago) link
― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Thursday, 6 July 2006 20:26 (seventeen years ago) link
― ZOT! (davidcorp), Thursday, 6 July 2006 20:37 (seventeen years ago) link
― ZOT! (davidcorp), Thursday, 6 July 2006 20:40 (seventeen years ago) link
― Sundar (sundar), Thursday, 6 July 2006 20:44 (seventeen years ago) link
― Chairman Doinel (Charles McCain), Thursday, 6 July 2006 20:52 (seventeen years ago) link
Still does, to me.
― Mark (MarkR), Thursday, 6 July 2006 20:55 (seventeen years ago) link
― QuantumNoise (Justin Farrar), Thursday, 6 July 2006 21:07 (seventeen years ago) link
1. Rock and Roll Doctor2. Two Trains3. The Fan4. On Your Way Down5. Spanish Moon >6. Skin It Back >7. Fat Man In The Bath Tub8. Oh Atlanta9. Willin'
It's a really, really excellent quality Pre-FM broadcast recording. Out of my entire bootleg collection, this is the one show I keep coming back to the most. It's just so fuckin' good. Better than the studio recordings, even (IMHO). They're on fire, I tells ya! Now go get it! *pant pant pant* ;)
― Mama Roux (Mama Roux), Thursday, 6 July 2006 21:34 (seventeen years ago) link
― flëétwøöd måçk (jaxon), Friday, 7 July 2006 02:22 (seventeen years ago) link
― flëétwøöd måçk (jaxon), Friday, 7 July 2006 02:38 (seventeen years ago) link
http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/dre300/e349/e34945e0x9d.jpg
― flëétwøöd måçk (jaxon), Friday, 7 July 2006 02:40 (seventeen years ago) link
― dr lulu (dr lulu), Friday, 7 July 2006 02:51 (seventeen years ago) link
― gear (gear), Saturday, 8 July 2006 19:19 (seventeen years ago) link
― flëétwøöd måçk (jaxon), Saturday, 8 July 2006 19:52 (seventeen years ago) link
― gear (gear), Saturday, 8 July 2006 19:57 (seventeen years ago) link
― shorty (shorty), Saturday, 8 July 2006 20:50 (seventeen years ago) link
I got to see them on a free ticket a few years ago and I was really amazed by how well they can hit those harmonies live.
Hating on CSNY is like making fun of your ex-hippy uncle that teaches middle school.
― Earl Nash (earlnash), Sunday, 9 July 2006 03:36 (seventeen years ago) link
thats really good then? i always look at it in the store but am suspicious of it. maybe its the book cover packaging
CSNY is pretty great and I've been wanting to check out "If I Could Only Remember My Name" for awhile now
― XD (eman), Sunday, 9 July 2006 05:58 (seventeen years ago) link
― Monty Von Byonga (Monty Von Byonga), Sunday, 9 July 2006 08:25 (seventeen years ago) link
People be saying crazy things.
― marc h. (marc h.), Sunday, 9 July 2006 16:43 (seventeen years ago) link
― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Sunday, 9 July 2006 20:00 (seventeen years ago) link
― flëétwøöd måçk (jaxon), Sunday, 9 July 2006 20:57 (seventeen years ago) link
― gear (gear), Sunday, 9 July 2006 21:59 (seventeen years ago) link
― flëétwøöd måçk (jaxon), Monday, 10 July 2006 21:52 (seventeen years ago) link
No thread just on Graham Nash, so I thought I'd just revive this instead.
I'm listening to Songs For Beginners and it's gorgeous. I can't get enough of the group of musicians surrounding CSNY around 1970, including Garcia, Lesh, Grace Slick, and so on; the PERRO thing. This record is part of this group. "I Used To Be A King" is a highlight.
Evidently Nash has a retrospective box set coming out later this year. Does anyone know anything else about this?
And did any of you pick up the Crosby box last year? And was it any good? I love the outtakes from "If I Could Only Remember My Name" (linked to earlier in this thread), but evidently these didn't come out on the box. I'd love a box of just the PERRO stuff.
― Euler, Friday, 25 July 2008 21:41 (fifteen years ago) link
and i'm listening to the self titled crosby/nash and there have been moments where i've literally had to stop writing/reading and just listen because they're so beautiful
Yes - this is a really really good record and I don't know anything at all about the rest of the CSNY universe. Search "Immigration Man" if nothing else.
― Doctor Casino, Saturday, 26 July 2008 14:53 (fifteen years ago) link
I want to know a tally and ranking of how much blow was done when the members were off stage. Somehow I think Nash comes in last
― calstars, Saturday, 3 April 2021 01:21 (three years ago) link
Back At It: Holy Shit, the second song in the second electric set IS A STILLS BONGO JAM.
― blue whales on ambient (C. Grisso/McCain), Tuesday, 6 April 2021 01:21 (three years ago) link
IIRC,Santana was one of openers on the tour, more or less the same lineup that's on Lotus (ie, a bunch of pedigreed Jazz dudes). Having visions of Stills walking up to one of those guys and saying, "Outta the way! This is how we play drums...".
― blue whales on ambient (C. Grisso/McCain), Tuesday, 6 April 2021 01:31 (three years ago) link
― Naive Teen Idol, Tuesday, 6 April 2021 01:38 (three years ago) link
Possibly!
Finished it up today, and mainly right now want to point out that "Pushed It Over The End" was completely cut out of the version linked here. There's another, longer upload of the same show that was added a week later, but for some reason there's less than a minute of the track before an awkward cut to the next song.
― blue whales on ambient (C. Grisso/McCain), Tuesday, 6 April 2021 18:57 (three years ago) link
it seems a fairly obscure point to make now, but CSN/CSNY would have been considered the dominant American rock group in the early 70s up to 74. Pre Eagles, pre Mac, pre the rise of Aerosmith/Kiss/Nugent and the american hesher/butt rock/hard rock cohort; they had a certain gravitas, in that they emblemized the post hippie tropes and behavior that everyone understood was the way rock stars were supposed to comport themselves, against the war, shit tons of drugs, Cros getting a blow jobs from two women before a show while he was screaming orders at someone (per this Barney Hoskyns book from 2012); malcontents like the Stooges and the Dolls hated them, as did those bands acolytes who would soon emerge out of the CBs scene and then onwards…the mainstream rock band ideal was to be huge, and despite not making recordings past Deja Vu that many people were crazy about (although I suppose '77s CSN was pretty popular, generating radio fare that stood head to toe with the Eagles and Mac), they were the hugest american rock band. Before the developments I mentioned prior, who else was bigger than they? Dylan & the Band? The Dead? the Allmans? Doobies? James Taylor or any other singer-songwriters (which they more or less were part of)?…
Stills and Cros in particular appear to be utterly loathsome to me; Cros is fond of blaming Napster through streaming for his present financial woes, whereas anyone who was as successful as he was for as long as he was has not one single solitary person or activity to blame other than himself and the deeply stupid, selfish, heedless and blinkered behavior —not just drugs— that he has perpetrated for 55 fucking years.
― veronica moser, Tuesday, 6 April 2021 22:25 (three years ago) link
yeah croz rebranding as a stoner gramps not one of the sleaziest l.a. predators is really grating
― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Tuesday, 6 April 2021 22:30 (three years ago) link
McDonough's Young bio alerted to me to just how huge CSN and CSNY were, and, yeah, they were, no question, the biggest rock band in the world after Zep but with the generational gravitas.
― So who you gonna call? The martini police (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 6 April 2021 22:44 (three years ago) link
I think my introduction to Crosby was through the merciless shellacking he got as a '60s burnout who barely made it to rehab. When I finally looked into the Byrds, I was surprised that he not only was a member but that he did indeed have a substantial musical legacy. (I thought CSN was the only band he was associated with, and I don't remember anyone in school listening, much less liking, their music.) I can't emphasize enough how much of a surprise that was. The first time I saw his cameo on The Simpsons, the joke with Barney had NO set-up to me - like why on earth would he be a hero to anyone for his music? I never heard anyone talk about anything he's made, just his drug intake. Well, I did know "Turn! Turn! Turn!" (which was featured in an earlier episode), but it was made by a faceless band for all I knew.
― birdistheword, Tuesday, 6 April 2021 22:59 (three years ago) link
he was way third banana to mcguinn and clark songwriting wise tho
― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Tuesday, 6 April 2021 23:27 (three years ago) link
TRUE. Docked another notch for fucking "Mind Gardens."
― birdistheword, Tuesday, 6 April 2021 23:29 (three years ago) link
definite case of lost potential. the solo debut and the box set covering all the rest are really all you could need:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voyage_(David_Crosby_album)
i like the debut far far more than any solo stills (inc manassas) or nash and probably better than the majority of Neil solo lps. a shame it's so solitary.
― Hmmmmm (jamiesummerz), Wednesday, 7 April 2021 09:39 (three years ago) link
saying that, his recent few jazzy things with his son in the band are not terrible listens. not strong songs but he still sounds nice.
Crosby gave a free show at Lincoln Center two summers ago. The first and only time I've gone to any of his solo shows - I mean, it was FREE, and by the end, I was standing more or less right in front of the stage. Anyway, it was surprisingly good - not only was the band good, but his voice held up really well and the setlist hit all of the high points from the Byrds and CSN&Y ("Long Time Gone" and especially a pissed off "Ohio" that closed the show). The one disappointment was "Eight Miles High," which had a poor arrangement. Coincidentally, Roger McGuinn played a show a few months earlier - his first solo show in NYC in quite a while (his only other recent show was the Sweetheart of the Rodeo 50th anniversary tour stop), and it was at a venue that was within walking distance of Lincoln Center. The highlight of that show was "Eight Miles High," and even with just McGuinn on acoustic with no backing, it was amazing to hear as he turned it into an extended improvisation. No surprise, his guitar playing always made that record.
― birdistheword, Wednesday, 7 April 2021 14:27 (three years ago) link
it seems a fairly obscure point to make now, but CSN/CSNY would have been considered the dominant American rock group in the early 70s up to 74
Their main competition for that honor would have been Grand Funk Railroad, who amazingly scored five platinum and two gold albums during that time frame plus broke all kinds of live attendance records, though seemingly without accumulating any gravitas along the way. It's kind of a mystery where all the Grand Funk fans went, and why they're a non-entity to younger generations. Contrastingly, it appears that the CSN(Y) catalog has had a long commercial afterlife.
― Josefa, Wednesday, 7 April 2021 15:07 (three years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXKmsvRXE4A
― birdistheword, Wednesday, 7 April 2021 15:12 (three years ago) link
I'm not a fan, but Dez Dickerson was, so they did influence some of my absolute favorite music. Maybe not the primary influence, but Dez had some great guitar solos ("Little Red Corvette" in particular).
― birdistheword, Wednesday, 7 April 2021 15:14 (three years ago) link
https://resources.mynewsdesk.com/image/upload/t_open_graph_image/xzzq35exgfiudfsrt90o.jpg
"LET'S FOLK ROCK!"
― blue whales on ambient (C. Grisso/McCain), Friday, 16 April 2021 03:49 (three years ago) link
OMG
― It Is Dangerous to Meme Inside (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 16 April 2021 06:19 (three years ago) link
'No Nukes: Muse Concert For a Non-Nuclear Future' publicity shot, NYC, 1979 (with David Crosby, Stephen Stills, Jackson Browne, Graham Nash, Jesse Colin Young, John Hall, Phoebe Snow, Carly Simon, Michael McDonald, James Taylor and Bonnie Raitt) pic.twitter.com/WpqJ7l7VXJ— Barney Hurley (@barneyhurley1) April 18, 2021
― calstars, Sunday, 18 April 2021 22:16 (three years ago) link
Nuclear weapons: bad!Now let’s party
― calstars, Sunday, 18 April 2021 22:17 (three years ago) link
JT not sure which one is his wife.
― blue whales on ambient (C. Grisso/McCain), Sunday, 18 April 2021 22:20 (three years ago) link
Carly's plaid jumpsuit is quite something.
― Jurassic parkour (Ye Mad Puffin), Sunday, 18 April 2021 22:52 (three years ago) link
Seeing Crosby, Stills and Nash & Cypress Hill in the same event sounds like a dream tbh.— VIKKA/LILSATAN 👁👅 (@lil_satan_) April 21, 2021
(The event in question being Woodstock '94)
― blue whales on ambient (C. Grisso/McCain), Monday, 26 April 2021 02:02 (two years ago) link
ALSO: Just noticing in that No Nukes pic that Crosby appears to be wondering why he's both at the side w/Stills, but also on the other end standing next to Nash.
― blue whales on ambient (C. Grisso/McCain), Monday, 26 April 2021 02:07 (two years ago) link
"Marrakesh Express" is f-ing awful, so much that when I tried the first CS&N album without playing that track, the whole thing actually improved immensely - a more cohesive and unified album that managed to stay afloat and keep me engaged the whole time. I guess having it in the #2 slot always derailed the whole thing for me.
The LP still doesn't feel like a *great* album, but when I think of it as a one-off lark rather than the core music of any of those three (similar to the Traveling Wilburys later on), it at least feels like a commendable side project, as long as I ditch that awful track.
― birdistheword, Friday, 22 July 2022 17:42 (one year ago) link
AgreeWasn’t that the “single” to boot?
― calstars, Friday, 22 July 2022 18:10 (one year ago) link
Not sure why I put that in quotes
― calstars, Friday, 22 July 2022 18:11 (one year ago) link
Yup, the first single and peaked at #28. In retrospect, "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes" should've been the first (it was the second and peaked at #21), and they could've tossed "Marrakesh Express" on to the B-side as a non-LP release.
― birdistheword, Friday, 22 July 2022 18:33 (one year ago) link
I like it, although I will concede it's easily the cheesiest hippie-dippy thing on the debut. IIRC, it--along with all the other Nash tracks on that album--was rejected by the Hollies in favor of their Dylan album. It probably was the first single because at that point Nash had the most hits to his name than the other guys.
― an icon of a worried-looking, long-haired, bespectacled man (C. Grisso/McCain), Friday, 22 July 2022 18:49 (one year ago) link
what do y'all have against piffle?
― Kate (rushomancy), Friday, 22 July 2022 18:56 (one year ago) link
it--along with all the other Nash tracks on that album--was rejected by the Hollies in favor of their Dylan album
You had taste, Hollies. You had taste.
― birdistheword, Friday, 22 July 2022 19:25 (one year ago) link
I always disliked this song til I heard the latter-day Hollies records with Nash, and then I was at least able to see what he was going for. I find this similar, a lot better, quite charming:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiflXrTsKLU
― Halfway there but for you, Friday, 22 July 2022 19:31 (one year ago) link
Hollies >>>>>>>>> Crosby, Stills & Nash
― Tom D: panel beater, bouncer and tree surgeon (Tom D.), Friday, 22 July 2022 19:42 (one year ago) link
Nash is easily my least favorite member of CSN and sometimes Y. “Just a song before I go” from CSN is lovely, though.
― brimstead, Friday, 22 July 2022 19:54 (one year ago) link
That “black keys” song of his seems …lazy
― calstars, Friday, 22 July 2022 20:00 (one year ago) link
Like yeah, anyone who’s ever played piano knows the sharps and flats have a nice harmonic resonance with other
― calstars, Friday, 22 July 2022 20:02 (one year ago) link
I think he made it up on the spot, in his defence.
― Halfway there but for you, Friday, 22 July 2022 20:31 (one year ago) link
ok, recast csn - who would you replace graham nash with? for americans i'd probably go with someone like tandyn almer or curt boettcher. can't think of a britisher who would fit in the role tho!
― Kate (rushomancy), Friday, 22 July 2022 20:39 (one year ago) link
John Sebastian?
― Halfway there but for you, Friday, 22 July 2022 20:49 (one year ago) link
how about a female singer? Oh, right -- these guys were pigs.
― Malevolent Arugula (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 22 July 2022 20:50 (one year ago) link
Mama Cass? She didn't write songs though. But how about Dave Mason?
― Halfway there but for you, Friday, 22 July 2022 20:53 (one year ago) link
― Malevolent Arugula (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn)
right, i mean, we're assuming that they're basically pigs, also, we start getting women involved and crosby/stills are pretty quickly outclassed
mike patto might be interesting. dave mason! yeah, that's definitely gotta be it, it'd have to be dave mason in that role.
― Kate (rushomancy), Friday, 22 July 2022 20:55 (one year ago) link
Duh, Mike Love.
― an icon of a worried-looking, long-haired, bespectacled man (C. Grisso/McCain), Friday, 22 July 2022 21:05 (one year ago) link
Although in reality it would have been Stills' buddy Peter Tork.
― an icon of a worried-looking, long-haired, bespectacled man (C. Grisso/McCain), Friday, 22 July 2022 21:09 (one year ago) link
Richie Furay would have fitted in pretty well but then it would just have been Buffalo Springfield.
― Tom D: panel beater, bouncer and tree surgeon (Tom D.), Friday, 22 July 2022 21:15 (one year ago) link
Rick James
― calstars, Friday, 22 July 2022 21:15 (one year ago) link
the thing is that Nash’s voice is a really vital component of their gorgeous awesome vocal harmonies… Dave mason sounds too much like stills, imo
― brimstead, Friday, 22 July 2022 21:38 (one year ago) link
Art Garfunkel actually substituted for Crosby on CSN albums for awhile.
― Halfway there but for you, Friday, 22 July 2022 22:05 (one year ago) link
Crosby, Stills, Parsons, and Garfunkel
― calstars, Friday, 22 July 2022 22:24 (one year ago) link